Newly elected official makes initial appearance

Louisiana District 21 state Sen.-elect Bret Allain arrived just prior to the Terrebonne Parish Council being called to order last Wednesday and delivered packets of sugar to government officials and employees to begin their 35-minute meeting.

The sugar cane farmer from St. Mary Parish, who was elected to state office on Oct. 22, also offered council members a treat when he said Terrebonne Parish is on his list of priorities.

“I’m not going to represent just St. Mary Parish,” Allain said during the agenda period for public comments. “The minute I decided to become a candidate for this seat, my parish became all of District 21.”

The Republican legislator who will replace Democrat D.A. “Butch” Gautreaux in Baton Rouge, was critical of his predecessor who Allain said had only shown interest to a small segment of the population he represented during his time in office and was not as available as parish officials may have liked.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to represent not only St. Mary, but Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes,” Allain said. “I want to let you know that I’m here to work with you [and] let you know that I am going to work diligently to take care of the needs of Terrebonne Parish as well as all the other parishes that I represent.”

Allain opened his time to questions and fielded questions from parish officials.

“I represent District 9,” Councilman Pete Lambert told Allain and then stated his concern about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not having spent money for the construction of levees in lower Terrebonne Parish. “I would hope you could help the [Terrebonne] Levee [and Conservation] District.”

“I have talked with [TLCD Board of Commissioners President] Tony Alford since the election and pledged to him my help,” Allain said. “I want to know as much as I can about the [Morganza to the Gulf] levee project. I was actually involved in the south Lafourche Levee Project when it was built 20 years ago.”

Allain said that an important project for the Tri-parish region is securing a permanent flood control structure in Bayou Chene.

“I think it was proven that that barge put in place saved a lot of people from flooding. Not only in St. Mary, but in upper Terrebonne,” he said.

“I have a large portion of [state Senate District 21] in my district,” Councilwoman Arlanda Williams (District 2) said. “I guess my push is that we have [a flood protection] plan in the Gibson area.”

District 8 Councilman Joey Cehan joined into the repeated request of Allain that he offer attention to flooding and hurricane protection in Terrebonne Parish.

District 6 Councilman Kevin Voisin said part of the flooding plan involves considering road improvements in terms of backwater flooding, grade and drainage.

“I think I am most excited about I-49 corridor,” District 3 Councilman Billy Hebert said.

Allain has been a proponent in the long sought Interstate 49 designation of U.S. Highway 90. He promised to make that one of his priorities to take to government offices for development.

“There is no greater potential for economic development in this area, in fact all of District 21, than getting I-49 complete,” Allain said. “If you look at the number of businesses that moved out of New Orleans and to the Northshore … their main criteria were proximity to an interstate [and] proximity to a major airport. … I think a lot of that business, 30 percent growth along that I-10/I-12 corridor, at least half of that would have come here if there had been an interstate [highway].”

Allain told those in attendance that he maintains an open door policy and invited them to call him anytime they have needs or wants.

“There are already plans for the entire [Tri-parish state legislative] delegation to get together and put out the agenda of what everyone thinks is important,” Allain said. “No excuses. We’ll bring it home.”